The New Girl in Town
by DJ Dubois
Summary: Max from Dark Angel is trapped in Tucson and confronts the locals. Will she be able to get the help she needs? (Forever Knight, Xena, Mutant X xovers)


The New Girl in Town  
David J. Duncan  
June 2002  
  
Notes: The characters from "Forever Knight" belong to Sony Tri-Star. The characters from Xena Warrior Princess belong to StudiosUSA and Renaissance Studios. The characters from "Dark Angel" belong to Tribune. The characters from "Mutant X" belong to Tribune and Marvel Studios. All other characters and scenarios are fictitious and are of my own creation. Please send comments to dante0220@yahoo.com .  
  
Preface 1 [Rebuilding Amazon Village-82 AD]  
  
Gabrielle, Bard-Queen of the Amazons writes....  
  
Now that we had persevered against the dark forces of Dahak and Lousain, everyone could rebuild their lives and move onward with their extra responsibilities. However, a new ally's appearance in Tucson complicated things just a bit....  
  
  
Preface 2 [Seattle, 2020]  
  
It had been a long day at the Jam Pony currier service. Normal, the dispatcher, ran everyone ragged delivering parcels across several sectors of the city. In addition, his ranting, never anything one wanted to endure on any day, was particularly aggravating. By 5PM, everyone was ready to make tracks.  
  
Max sighed as she took her purse from her locker. Ever since her escape from Manticore, life, never dull for her by any stretch of the imagination, had become increasingly more hellish. Despite the destruction of the genetic facility, she had several problems to deal with. Most notably, there was a secret order of super agents wanting her dead. Then, there was the little matter of the disease she carried. Before she had sent them all to Hell in a hand basket, her former creators had implanted her with a virus. For most super enhanced folks such as herself, that normally would be no sweat. But there was a catch. The bug would kill the man she loved with no more than a kiss.   
  
"Just when things were getting interesting," she groused, gunning the throttle on her bike. Speeding down the open road always relieved her nerves, and she hoped that tonight was no exception. Taking off, she motored through the Sector, stopping only to pass cleanly through the checkpoint, and then, resumed her previous pace. For several hours, she rode onward, allowing the wind to ripple her dark brunette hair and cool her face.   
  
"So far, so good," she mused, taking a quick look over her shoulder. So far, no sign of those secret government goons. Then, as if on cue, she felt the ground quake tremendously hard under her. "Aw crap!" she hissed, managing to skid her bike to a halt.  
  
"What the Hell?" she exclaimed, looking about. Usually, small tremors preceded earthquakes. This one had come with no warning. As the shock waves grew worse, she surveyed her surroundings, trying to find stable cover. Getting buried under tons of rubble wasn't her idea of a girl's night out. "I wonder what's next?"  
  
In answer to her question, a transformer blew, sending massive amounts of concussive force in her direction. She felt pain followed by nothing.   
  
Then, she got up, but something was definitely wrong. She was no longer in the same slum. The streets were freshly paved and palm trees blew on the desert wind. "This ain't Seattle," she told herself. "But where am I?" Looking about her, she saw that her bike had also survived the blast in one piece. "At least, I've got you," she said to it. Climbing on the bike, she took off in search of answers.  
  
  
  
Chapter 1 [Airport-Tucson]  
  
The Tucson International Airport was quiet as only a few people milled about, scurrying for their planes. The guards patrolled the terminals vigilantly awaiting any signs of trouble.  
  
Over on the far end of the main concourse, Nick and LaCroix stood waiting for the latter's flight. After a short time of preparation, the Elder really was leaving.  
  
"So this is it," Nick surmised. "I can't believe it."  
  
"Nor can I," the Roman admitted, his face betraying no emotion. "If it hadn't been Fleur who told me, I wouldn't have believed it. At least I know that you'll do the right thing for the Community, Nicholas."  
  
"I'll do my best, LaCroix. It's such a burden, but I'll keep things going," the detective assured him.  
  
The General's eyebrow arched with concern. Did the younger vampire mean that he would try to keep the status quo? Or was there something else to his reply? "You do that, Nicholas. Remember, I expect that all will be in order when I return."  
  
"It will be," Nick promised.  
  
"Good," his former master crooned. "Despite the help which your friends have promised to you, there are certain matters which must remain within the Community."  
  
The former Crusader nodded. "I know."  
  
At that moment, the PA blurted out, "Good evening. Flight 3815 with non-stop service to Chicago is now boarding through Gate 20. All rows are invited to board through Gate 20. Thank you."  
  
"Ah, I believe that is my cue," LaCroix informed the other. "Do take care, Nicholas. Remember, I will be watching." With that, he turned and walked into the entryway, disappearing into the plane.  
  
"Good luck, LaCroix. For all of our sakes, may you be successful," the new Elder wished as the silvery bird taxied down the runway, picked up speed, and ever so slowly, ascending into the inky sky. Once it had passed across the moon, the plane disappeared from sight.  
  
For several minutes, Nick's eyes remained transfixed to that spot not sure what to expect from the situation awaiting him in town. One thing was for sure; LaCroix wasn't coming back...at least not right away. Accordingly, there was much work to be done and there was no time like the present to get started on it.   
  
*****  
  
A few hours later, he parked the Caddy beside the El Gato Negro. Even though the sign still blinked as it always did and the building appeared the same, something felt different. "The added responsibility," he sighed to himself. For the first time, he tried to imagine how the old Roman had dealt with his role. For what wouldn't be the last time, he had to admit to uncertainty. "Best to just confront it," he told himself, walking into the tavern and over to the bar. The vampires around him seemed different as well for some reason. He sat at the bar and started to drink absently from the glass of wine in front of him.  
  
"Penny for your thoughts, Nick?" Tracy asked, sitting down beside him.  
  
He glanced at her curiously. While he had sensed her presence in the building, she had approached him without him noticing her. Was he that distracted? Was this a byproduct of the Empress's elixir? "What's going on, Trace?"  
  
"Oh, it's been quiet. Too quiet," she noted, sipping from her own wine glass. "I decided to come here and talk to Vachon."  
  
"And wait for me?" he probed knowingly.  
  
"Why not? Hey, Nick, you're my partner. What involves you involves me too, remember?"  
  
Once again, LaCroix's admonition rang through his head. "Some things, Tracy, need to stay private. I do appreciate your concern, however."  
  
"And what's that supposed to mean? What did Old Gruesome say to you anyhow?" she pushed.  
  
"Not much," he fibbed. "He just reminded me of a few rules is all."  
  
"But you're the one who makes the rules now, Nick," she argued.  
  
He sighed and smiled. She would think that way. "It's not that simple."  
  
"So, what is it like then?" she insisted. "You're the Elder."  
  
"There are set rules for our Community, Detective," Janette countered from behind the bar. "Just as LaCroix wouldn't break them, so must Nicolas uphold them as well."  
  
"Right," he agreed, taking a gulp of wine.  
  
"I gathered that much," Tracy replied dryly, taking another sip from her glass. "Still, I hope that LaCroix didn't intimidate you."  
  
"He tried." Nick shrugged. "Still, I do have to keep the peace, Tracy. LaCroix did so both here and in Toronto. I could learn something from that."  
  
"Even though your style is different than his? He's a bully, Nick. You aren't," Tracy pointed out.  
  
"Ask the serfs on his family estates," Janette disagreed with a bit of irony.   
  
He shot her a dirty look before getting up, collecting his coat, and leaving. That memory didn't help the situation one bit. He quickly left the establishment, getting into the Caddy and speeding away.  
  
"Why did you bring that up?" Tracy asked, finishing her drink. "That was a long time ago."  
  
"But it still applies," the raven-haired immortal replied, staring toward the doors and hoping that her master would be all right.  
  
****   
  
Alyce typed away at the computer as she nervously waited for Nick to get back from the airport. It had been a relatively quiet shift at the museum, allowing her to get a great deal of work done. After that, she had hurried back to the loft, eagerly awaiting the news that LaCroix had indeed left.  
  
Finally, Nick stepped out of the elevator with a grim look on his face. Walking over to the refrigerator, he poured himself a glass of bloodwine and drank it down.  
  
"What's wrong?" she wondered, zipping to his side.  
  
"Oh, I was just thinking about things," he replied, staring at the remaining liquid in the glass. Guessing at what was really on her mind, he continued, "You can relax. He's gone."  
  
"That's a relief," she sighed. Noting the glance he gave her, she continued, "Isn't it?"  
  
"In some ways," he concurred. "In other ways, I feel as though the weight of the Community is on my shoulders."  
  
"But you aren't alone," she assured him, embracing him from behind. "Your friends are here. I'm here."  
  
"I know that," he replied pleasantly, managing a smile for her benefit. Despite LaCroix's admonition, he would indeed need his friends if he were to get through this process successfully. "Now I know what a huge task it is to run things."  
  
"It is a big responsibility," she agreed. "I think you need to take a deep breath and don't take so much on yourself at once. You do have a habit of doing that. We can take care of ourselves, you know. Even us formerly weak fledglings."  
  
"I do need to keep order," he argued, standing up and pacing about the room.  
  
"And you'll do fine," she countered patiently, trying to find a way to make him calm down. "You're not alone, Nick. Remember that. Between the mortals and immortals, nobody wants a bloodbath on their hands."  
  
"True," he concurred, pouring himself a straight glass of wine. "Having Xena and Dave around is convenient."  
  
"And they'll help you," she assured him. "As will Janette, Vachon, and the others. As much as I hate to admit it, even LaCroix is helping you right now. I know he's watching and so do they. While we were gone in Istanbul, I heard nobody stepped out of line here. Nobody will do so now, either."  
  
"I hope you're right, Alyce," he responded wistfully, drinking from his glass. Whatever was going to happen, it would be a difficult transition indeed.  
  
  
  
Chapter 2 [Next evening]  
  
Max rose from her makeshift bed and looked about at the area around her. Despite the fact that homeless people often wandered in this area under the highway, nobody would approach her. Especially not after she had driven off those two would-be muggers the first night there. She had hoped that things would make sense after a couple of days in this strange place, but nothing did. Even the money in her pocket had changed. Instead of the familiar post-pulse currency she knew well, the bills were green and black. "Weird," she groused, getting on her bike and speeding away in search of a meal.  
  
****  
  
A couple of hours later, she came out of a low-grade greasy spoon, having satiated her hunger for another evening. While the burger left something to be desired in terms of taste, at least her stomach wasn't growling anymore. Now she decided to find a new place to stay. Having reached the East Side, she discovered a grassy ravine in back of a bunch of apartment buildings. After scouting it out, the transgenic started to set up camp. Then she heard a frantic heartbeat followed by screaming. "What the?" she wondered.  
  
Making her way through the brush, she found the source. In front of her, two tall men in dark coats and ski masks had their pistols aimed at a third man, cowering on the street, and clutching a briefcase.  
  
"You had your chance," one of the attackers muttered and fired his weapon, putting two slugs into his victim's forehead. After the latter had died, he grabbed the case and told his partner, "Let's go!"  
  
Max frowned. Although she really shouldn't get involved, she couldn't let them get away with killing that guy in cold blood. "Oh, boys."  
  
The two men turned to see the brunette emerge from the brush with a determined look on her face.  
  
"Whoa man! Hey, Chica, wanna party?" the killer inquired.  
  
"Yeah," she replied, getting into a combat-ready pose. "Just not that way."  
  
The two men chortled. Each of them loomed a half foot taller and had a great deal of muscular bulk on the newcomer. "Another hero? Look, Sweetie, either give us what we want or we cut ya. Comprende?"  
  
"Yeah," she laughed, launching herself into them. Moving faster than the eye could follow, she dealt out two karate kicks, an ugly haymaker, and a left cross, dispatching the duo. "Hrummph...they don't make 'em tough here either." Making her way over to the victim's side, she felt his neck with her bare hand and found no pulse. "Too freaking bad," she muttered. Another look around revealed that the contents of the briefcase had scattered across the street, soaking themselves in the puddles in the process. "Great. This is turning out to be quite a night."  
  
****  
  
As Max was taking on the goons, Schanke and Tracy were returning from a murder scene. The deceased, young blonde women in her twenties whom Natalie had yet to ID, had been beaten badly and left behind like so much trash.   
  
"You know, I'll never get used to that stuff," Schanke stated, gripping the wheel tightly.  
  
"Yeah, I know. I'd like to take whoever did that out behind the shed and beat on him myself," she agreed as he turned onto Highland. "Where are we going?"  
  
"This is a short cut back to the Precinct," he retorted. Just then, he saw the fighting going on just ahead of them. "Hey, get a load of that!" Slamming on the brakes, he cut off any means of escape for the brawlers.   
  
"Careful, Schanke," she noted, drawing her pistol.  
  
"Yeah," he agreed, opening the door and ducking out as quickly as he could.   
  
She did likewise, aiming her gun at the brunette standing over the dead man in the street. "Hey, you! Hands up!"  
  
"Tucson PD," he added, training his gun on her. "You're under arrest!"  
  
Max sighed. She definitely didn't want to get mixed up with the cops right now. "Look, there's been a misunderstanding."  
  
"We'll settle it downtown. Let's go!" Tracy ordered, clicking off the safety on her pistol.  
  
The transgenic shook her head. She really didn't want any trouble, but the lard ball and the blonde were practically asking for it. "Your loss." Launching herself through the air, she stunned them with several hard shots before walking away.  
  
Jumping on her bike, she gunned the motor and took off into the night.  
  
Just as Max rounded the corner and started down Fifth Street, Tracy managed to stumble over to her car. Grabbing the CB, she coughed, "This is...81 Kilo. Anyone copy?"  
  
"81 Kilo, this is Dispatch. Go ahead," a male voice responded.  
  
"Dispatch, we have a murder scene on Highland just south of Fifth. Two men are beaten and another has been shot," she reported.  
  
"Roger that. The medical examiner will be there shortly. Out," the dispatcher concluded, signing off.  
  
"Yeah," she sighed, cutting off the connection and rubbing her midsection where the mystery woman's blow had hit. "With my luck, it's probably a cracked rib or something." Hearing Schanke moan, she stooped over him. "You okay?"  
  
"Yeah," he said uncertainly, rubbing the back of his head. "Whoever she was, that lady packed a wallop. Too bad that Nick wasn't here."  
  
Pulling out her cell phone, she dialed her partner's number at the precinct.  
  
"Miles," he answered.  
  
"Nick, I'm glad I caught you! Listen, we had a perp get away from us on Highland. She's lanky, brunette, with biker attire, and riding a really nice motorcycle. A word of caution, she packs a really mean punch," she noted.  
  
He winced. The last thing that he wanted was a fight so soon after taking over as Elder. "Okay, I'm on it. Are you and Schank okay?"  
  
"We'll live," she assured him. "I'll fill you in on the details later."  
  
"Right," he agreed hesitantly. When Tracy left details out of an explanation, they usually came back to haunt them all. "I'll start at the university and work my way back." With that, he hung up and left the bullpen. Once in the alley, he looked up toward the night sky and took off, heading for the scene and hoping to avoid trouble.   
  
  
  
  
Chapter 3  
  
Twenty minutes later, Max stopped her bike beside the UMC. Periodically, she had dealt with severe cases of the shakes. Tonight was no exception. "Gotta get my pills," she told herself, making her way in the side entrance and up the stairs. Since the staircase was dark, she figured that there wouldn't be any trouble. Once she reached the fifth floor, she made her way down the darkened corridor, looking for a supply closet. Upon finding the desired door, she found it to be locked. "No surprise there," she groused. Using her elbow, she broke the glass and let herself into the area.  
  
****  
  
Meanwhile, Angie sat at her computer, nervously typing away on a manuscript. With all of the recent problems with Dahak and Lousain, she had neglected the deadlines on her work. Now, she was pulling the second of consecutive all-nighters trying to get caught up.  
  
"Thank goodness for Frank," she mused, inserting a footnote. Her colleague, Frank Landers, had been kind enough to insert her preliminary research into the text and interject his own data. "Next time we're in New York, Dave and I owe him dinner. Speaking of which...." She reached over and picked up a forkful of the ziti which Francesca had brought over two hours before. "Mmmm. This makes everything worthwhile. Almost," she sighed and went back to the keyboard.  
  
Then, she heard a crash echo from down the hall.  
  
"What in?" she wondered, getting up from her chair, and looking into the hallway. "Hello?" she called out. "Belinda, is that you?"  
  
No answer.  
  
"Okay, be difficult," she said. Reaching out with her abilities, Angie scanned the area. Down the hall, she "felt" an unfamiliar yet powerful presence rustling through the supplies in the medicine closet. "Great, a super-powered junkie," she hissed to herself. "And I was almost finished with this paper too." Cautiously, she made her way down the hall, preparing herself for anything.  
  
When she was about fifteen feet away, the stranger bolted like a frightened deer. "Get away!"  
  
"Look," Angie told her. "I'm not going to hurt you. If you need help, I can get it for you."  
  
"Yeah right," the other woman snickered sarcastically and charged straight into her, bowling her over. "Trust me, stay outta my way."   
  
A few seconds later, Angie got back on her feet and looked around. The intruder was gone. "Darn it!" she exclaimed. She knew that security should be called, but that poor Peter, the elderly guard, wouldn't be able to handle the strange woman.   
  
["Let me take a crack," Xena indicated inside of her head. "That is if you're all right."]  
  
["Other than being a bit perturbed, I'm fine. Go for it," Angie agreed, drawing the sword.]  
  
After the flash subsided, the Warrior Princess was already jumping from rail to rail within the staircase.  
  
****  
  
Max was upset with herself. Despite taking the stolen pills, she still felt tense and moody. Why was it that everyone had to chase her? First, Manticore, and now, these police. She really felt bad about the doctor in the hospital and hoped that she wasn't hurt too badly. "Time to scram," she presumed, getting on her bike.   
  
Then, she heard a high pitched battle cry. "AIYIYIYIYISHHHEEEEAAAAHHHHH!"  
  
Turning, she saw a tall woman with dark black hair, a breastplate, and a sword do a remarkable back flip and land right in front of her. "And who are you supposed to be?" Max asked.  
  
"The name's Xena. We need to talk," Xena replied curtly, bracing herself for anything.  
  
Max sighed. Did this sister know what she was letting herself in for? "I'm kinda busy," she discounted, revving up her bike and taking off toward the street.  
  
Xena shook her head. "Some people don't listen." Producing her chakram, she flung it straight at the fleeing cyclist. The weapon dipped down, blowing out both tires, and forcing Max into a wipeout before returning to her hand. "Gee, now you're not in such a hurry, are ya?" she wondered with a bit of sarcasm in her voice.  
  
Max sprung quickly to her feet. Her baby was scratched up and the tires were shot. Whoever this medieval-type reject was, she just bought herself a whole pack of trouble. "Now I'm pissed," she snarled.  
  
Xena shrugged, her face assuming the intense battle stare. "Am I supposed to be scared by that? Bring it on!"  
  
The transgenic intruder sprung into action, figuring to pepper her attacker with multiple blows. However, to her surprise, the warrior woman matched her maneuvers with exact parries of her own. For almost an hour, the two women struck at each other, deflecting a punch here, a kick there in addition to evading the occasional head butt.   
  
To her frustration, Max found that this woman was her match. Could she be an X-5? She certainly fought like one. Despite her consternation, there was no way that she would cave to this sister. Bad enough that she was stuck in this weird place and time, but to get her butt kicked in the process? Not if she could help it.  
  
"Ready to talk yet?" Xena inquired, grinning and allowing her face to show only the tiniest beads of sweat across it. For her part, she was overdue for a good workout, but this was getting really tedious. Sooner or later, the police were going to show up. She hoped that her adversary would stop this exercise before they did.   
  
Max simply glared at her and braced herself to attack anew.  
  
"Your loss," the Warrior Princess sighed, readying herself for the next blow.  
  
At that moment, a familiar voice interjected, "What's going on here?"  
  
Both women turned to see Dave stepping out of the shadows. From his tone, he was clearly irritated over something.  
  
"Who's he? The local geek? What's he gonna do? Breathe on me or something?" Max baited.  
  
He hissed under his breath and frowned. Whoever this woman was, she definitely had a death wish.   
  
"Oh, he's much more than that," Xena informed her. "You might wanna give up now. If ya take him on, I'm not responsible for what happens."  
  
Max shook her head and whipped several blows at the professor.  
  
He evaded every single one of them. Then, he fired a pulse knocking her off of her feet. "Quit now before I really get mad," he warned, the degree of menace now clearly evident as the Child was knocking on the door inside of his head wanting to get a crack at her.  
  
Max charged again, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of knocking her on her rear end.  
  
Again, Dave blasted her backward, but this time, she impacted against the brick wall in back of her. "Stay down! I really don't want to hurt you!" Looking at Xena, he asked, "Is this the intruder who blindsided Angie?"  
  
"Yeah," the warrior affirmed. "She's okay though. I checked on her before I came after the Dark Avenger here."  
  
"Angie?" Max wondered, sitting up.  
  
"The doctor in the hospital," Xena told her.  
  
"The one you blindsided," he added, staring Max in the eye. "She's my wife and if you hurt her...well, let's just say, it's a good thing you didn't do any permanent damage." He focused, allowing the Child to rise up.  
  
"Ah hate ta think what Ah'd have ta do with ya then," the Dark One snarled. "Consider this a warnin'." With that, he allowed Dave to reassert himself.  
  
At that moment, Nick descended from the sky and scanned the scene. Judging from the description that Schanke and Tracy had given to him, the woman in the dark leather coat was the fugitive. "Is everything okay here?"  
  
"In a manner of speaking," the warrior replied, eyeing Max. "She broke into the hospital supply room and assaulted Angela. I made sure she was all right."  
  
"Is that what happened?" the detective asked the professor.  
  
"All I know is that Angie was hit hard by someone. Given that, I left the kids with Eve and rushed over here to find our two combatants here going at it," Dave related. Looking at Max, he asked, "Who are you and what the heck did you need that you attacked my wife over it?"  
  
"I'd appreciate it if you would answer the questions," Nick requested.  
  
The newcomer sighed deeply and shook her head. "Okay, my name is Max. I get the shakes. It's in my genetic makeup. I need these pills. For some reason, they stop the symptoms."  
  
"You did all of this for a food supplement?" Dave wondered. "Look, if that's what you needed, Angie would've been happy to help you with that rather than start this mess over a $5.00 over the counter item. Trust me, I can relate."  
  
"You can? Yeah right," she scoffed.  
  
"I can," he asserted, producing a bottle of St. John's Wart. "My required food supplement for the mood swings."  
  
"Right," she noted cautiously. "So, where am I right now? All I know is some big explosion brought me here."  
  
"You're in Tucson, Arizona," Nick informed her. Using his senses, he realized that she wasn't quite normal. "Dave, you think she's one of Adam's people?"  
  
"She definitely isn't a run of the mill human female. That's for sure," he agreed.   
  
"Adam's people?" Max wondered. "Who's he?"  
  
They all looked at her. "You're not a mutant?"  
  
"No. I'm what's called a transgenic which is close to being a mutant, but not quite like it," she pointed out. She took another look around at her surroundings. "Tucson, huh? It can't be. That place was leveled by the Pulse."  
  
The trio stared at her in shock. "Pulse?" they chorused.  
  
Max shook her head. This definitely wasn't her time. "Just for laughs, what year is this?"  
  
"2002," Nick replied. "Why? What year were you looking for?"  
  
"2020. That's where I'm from. Post-Pulse Seattle is pretty interesting to live in if you're into police states and such. Okay, so the Pulse hasn't happened yet. That would explain a lot," she detailed for them. "Being different means I have to constantly be on the run from the Sector Police."  
  
"Are you wanted for anything?" Nick asked firmly.  
  
"Nothing other than for being a transgenic freak, as they like to call me. Of course, if anyone says that to me, I'll kick their ass for it," she retorted, allowing a bit of resentment to flow into her voice.  
  
The trio considered her words. Finally Nick spoke up. "We know what it's like to be different and have to live in normal society. However, we still have rules that we need to follow. I need to take you in for breaking and entering and three counts of assault, not to mention on the suspicion of murdering a man."  
  
Dave and Xena looked at each other with concern. If Max went to jail, this would attract more attention from Eckhart and the GSA.   
  
"If we get more supplements for you, would you mind giving that bottle back?" he asked.  
  
"Okay," Max agreed, handing over the stolen merchandise.   
  
"Angie's okay," Dave assured her, glancing over at his wife's "roommate".   
  
"She said she won't press charges as long as the pills were returned," the warrior confirmed. "What about the other matter?"  
  
"We still need to question her for that murder," Nick told them.   
  
"Hey, I didn't kill that guy! Those two goons that I clobbered were the murderers. I tried to help, but was too late," she insisted.  
  
"Well, we still need to talk with you," the Elder insisted.   
  
"Wait, Nick," Dave insisted. "Did you folks recover the murder weapon?"  
  
"We did. Why?" the vampire wondered.  
  
"Has Nat checked the fingerprints on it yet?" the professor continued.  
  
"They're being run right now. I was going to check on that when I brought Max in," he said.   
Looking at Max, he offered, "If you come with me and the fingerprints aren't yours, we'll let you go."  
  
"Yeah right," Max scoffed. "You're just going to let me go."  
  
"If your fingerprints don't match the ones on the gun," Nick clarified. "It's the best offer you're going to get right now."  
  
"We'll take care of your bike in the meantime," Dave offered. "Look, we don't want trouble either. Just go with him, okay? We'll get this mess straightened up, and then, we'll talk." Seeing the distrusting look on her face, he added, "I promise."  
  
Despite the situation, Max felt that she could trust the professor for some reason. Call it an insight or intuition, but somehow, she knew. "Okay," she agreed. "No cuffs and I'll come quietly."  
  
Nick didn't like the terms, but since she was agreeing to come along, he stated, "Fine, let's go. But, I need you to close your eyes."  
  
"What kind of sick game is this?" she wondered.  
  
"Just do it," Dave told her.  
  
"Whatever," she relented, doing so. "So, where's your car, Detective?"  
  
"I didn't bring it with me," Nick informed her, putting his arms around her torso and taking off for the Precinct.  
  
"Hey! What the Hell?" she demanded. "We're flying!"  
  
"Yes. We are," he replied nonchalantly.  
  
"Bad enough your hands are so freakin' icy, but..." she started before the realization hit her and she felt his neck. "Wait! There's no damn pulse! You're dead!"  
  
"Yes. I guess you could say that," he added mischievously, a smile forming on his face. "Can you keep a secret for me?"  
  
"Since you're tryin' to help me? I guess," she supposed. "You're going to tell me that you're a vampire or something, right?"  
  
"That's right. I am a vampire. One of several in fact," he told her. "Just don't go spreading that around, okay?"  
  
"Several?" she asked rather pensively as this was sinking in. Despite her attempt to keep composed, this was really too weird for her. "Who leads them? You?"  
  
"Uh huh," he mentioned.   
  
"And the cops? Do they know about all of you?" she wondered.  
  
"Just the two detectives you ran into tonight along with a coroner and a FBI agent," he detailed. "Like you, they're keeping the knowledge a secret."  
  
"I can see why," she agreed, looking down and then, at his face. His eyes were slightly yellow-tinged. "Okay, my lips are sealed. As long as you keep the secret as to what I am too."  
  
"Deal," he concurred as they landed in the alley behind the station. "Follow me."  
  
****  
  
Meantime, Dave and Xena discussed what had just transpired.  
  
"So, what do ya think?" she asked him.  
  
"Somehow, I think we've made another friend," he supposed, picking the motorcycle off of the pavement and setting down the kickstand.   
  
"If she clears everything," the warrior reminded him.  
  
He smiled as he pulled out his cell phone. "Oh, I think she will," he declared, dialing a few numbers. "I'm going to get Deirdre to bring us back home. Excuse me."  
  
Xena stared toward the moon. After the recent events, she knew that he was right in gathering friends about them. One could never have too many allies. Still, how many mysteries still awaited them? Only time would tell....  
  
  
Chapter 4  
  
Natalie stood over the victim's corpse, analyzing the gunshot wound in the latter's skull. "No doubt about this one," she remarked.  
  
"Yeah. He was shot," Tracy remarked, with a "gee-newsflash" attitude. "We know that from the gun lying in the street."  
  
"Did we get some prints from it?" the coroner inquired.  
  
"We sure did," Schanke noted. "And matched them up to the goons in Holding. We have our killers."  
  
"All but one. I wish we had that strange biker chick," Tracy declared, scratching her head.   
  
Just then, Nick entered the room. "Hey, what's going on?" he asked.  
  
"Your victim died of a single gunshot wound to the head at close range," Natalie reported.  
  
"And the fingerprints on the gun match one of our prisoners in Holding. Richard Anderson's been wanted for armed robbery, drug dealing, and murder for some time. So, did you find our lost girl?" Schanke commented.  
  
"Yes. Just do me a favor. Go easy on her. It's been quite a night for her," Nick requested.  
  
The other two detectives gaped at him.   
  
"You've gotta be kiddin' me! Nick, she assaulted us!" the souvlaki-loving detective protested.  
  
"I know," the immortal conceded, holding his hands up defensively. "Just listen, okay?" Looking into the hallway, he called out, "Max?"  
  
"Yeah, I'm comin'," she grudgingly relented, trudging into the room and glaring at the two detectives. "I'm sorry for hitting you earlier, okay?"  
  
"You know that assaulting a police officer is a big offense, Lady," Schanke informed her.   
  
"Where I come from, the cops deserve it. You shouldn't go charging in, drawing guns first, and asking questions later! I was trying to help that poor guy on the table there. That's what I get for sticking my nose in where it doesn't belong!" Max bellowed, her dark eyes burning into the balding man's orbs. "Just so you know, I was only trying to get away. If I wanted to really hurt or kill you, you would be that way right now! Got it?"  
  
"Where you come from?" Tracy asked. "What's that supposed to mean? Nobody's allowed to hit a cop in this day and age-- at least not legally."  
  
"She's not from here," Nick informed them.   
  
"I'm from another time and place," Max revealed, albeit unwillingly. She really didn't understand why these twits had to berate her like this with their pointless questions. "Seattle...in the year 2020."  
  
"20...?" Natalie asked. "Nick, that would mean she's..."  
  
"She's from the future," he finished the thought. "Yes, she is. We'll try to bring her back there. First, she agreed to come here and help us get this mess straightened out. Since everything's been attended to, I think we can let her go."  
  
"Let her go?" Tracy responded vehemently. "Nick, she attacked us!"  
  
"Don't push it," Nick warned. "She said that she could have seriously injured both of you, yet she didn't. Judging that she just fought with Xena for nearly an hour, I'd say you both got off pretty lightly. Let it go, both of you."  
  
"Oh great! Another female fatale to watch out for," Tracy complained derisively, leaving the room.  
  
"Nick, do you really think we can trust her?" Schanke asked.  
  
"Why don't you ask her?" Nick indicated, motioning in Max's direction.  
  
"Well?" Schanke pushed.  
  
"Relax, Chief. I ain't gonna mess with ya. Just don't mess with me, okay? I'm not gonna break any laws or anything," Max assured him. "Believe me, if I have my way, I'll be out of here soon enough."  
  
"If you say so," Schanke supposed, albeit incredulously. Leaving the room, he cast an uncertain look in her direction before stepping through the door.  
  
"Are you gonna judge me too?" Max asked Natalie tersely.  
  
The coroner shook her head. "No. There are enough unique beings running around this city, so I know better. While I wish you hadn't touched my colleagues, I trust Detective Miles' belief in you. Saying that, I'm prepared to overlook your involvement in the incident if you get my drift. Good luck." Turning to Nick, she advised, "You'd best get her out of here before Ramirez gets wind of her."  
  
"Right," the detective agreed. "Let's go, Max."  
  
"That's it?" she asked in wonder. "You're really going to let me go?"  
  
"A promise is a promise," he told her. "C'mon."  
  
Max managed a smile for them both. If the opportunity allowed her to do so, she would repay their kindness and they could take that to the bank. Having made that assertion to herself, she followed Nick out the side entrance and through the alley to the parking lot where the Caddy awaited them for the trip to the East Side.  
  
  
Chapter 5  
  
Dave and Angie watched the parking lot anxiously for any sign of Nick and Max. For the past hour since the skirmish, they had sat at the dining room table, sipping on cups of blackberry tea, and talking about what had just happened.  
  
"You're sure that you're okay?" he inquired caringly,  
  
"I really am. Thanks," she assured him. "I was lucky-just a few bruises. Seriously, she reminds me a lot of you."  
  
"How so? The darkness about her?" he asked.  
  
She nodded and took another sip. "Mmm...that and her need for the supplements. I managed to get the pills back, so nobody will notice that the stock was missing. The door, however, is going to require some creative explaining on my part."  
  
"I'm sure you'll think of something," he snickered, rubbing her shoulder. "You always do. Anyhow, I'm glad you're okay."  
  
She glanced over to see Cybelle coming out of the twins' room. "How are they?"  
  
"Sleeping peacefully," the priestess told them. "Now, what about this fugitive of yours?"  
  
"Her name's Max and she's from the future. We need to send her back there," the professor indicated.  
  
"I can use the necklace to do that," Cybelle concurred. "So where is she?"  
  
"They'll be here soon," he indicated, feeling Nick's emptiness getting closer to the apartment.   
  
At that moment, the Caddy's headlights could be seen through the window as Nick parked it. Shortly thereafter, he and Max entered the apartment.  
  
"Welcome," Angie greeted. "Would you like a cup of tea or something?"  
  
"No thanks," Max replied a bit sheepishly. "Hey, I'm sorry about bulling you over before."  
  
Angie shook it off. "No problem. Just ask for something the next time you have a need like that, okay?"  
  
"I'll try. It's tough for someone trained to fight and kill to be nice," the guest told them.  
  
"I can relate to that," Dave noted.  
  
Max scanned him carefully. How did such a harmless looking bookworm harbor a mean-spirited kid like that? One had to wonder about that....  
  
"Anyhow, your bike is waiting out back," he continued. "We patched the tires and inflated them for you."  
  
"Thanks," Max expressed to all of them. "You guys are all right. By the way, who's the sister in the corner?"  
  
"I'm Cybelle," the priestess told her. "And I'm going to take you home. Come, let's get your motorcycle and then we can get going."  
  
"Right," the transgenic soldier concurred, not exactly following her meaning. But hey, there had been enough really weird stuff going on for the past week. With that, she followed Cybelle out of the glass door and onto the patio where she found the bike waiting for her. A warm smile creased her face as she saw her baby waiting for her. Despite a few scratches on the paint, it looked great.  
  
"Ready?" her guide asked, summoning the mists and opening the portal. "By the way, you'll want to wheel your motorcycle through there."  
  
"Yeah," Max affirmed, seeing an image of the ruined area where she had last been. After taking a last look at the others, she started through the mists. Following the emerald-clad woman in front of her, she proceeded through the cloudy passage before seeing the appropriate place.  
  
"That's your time," Cybelle indicated, stepping aside and pointing to the ruins.  
  
"It is," Max concurred. "Tell them thanks again."  
  
"I will," the other agreed. "Go on."  
  
The X5 headed for the portal. Everything seemed fine...until she tried to step through. For some reason, she couldn't do so. Touching the area, she discovered that an invisible barrier blocked her way home to her life...to Logan, Original Cindy, and her friends. "What the Hell?" she groused.   
  
"What is it?" Cybelle wondered, approaching the portal.   
  
"It won't let me through," Max told her, the frustration evident across her face.  
  
"It's never done that before," the guide replied. "Let me try." Unlike Max, she stepped through and took a look around at the bleak landscape of the post-Pulse society. "Goddess, help us," she sighed and stepped back through.  
  
"How'd you do that?" Max demanded.  
  
Cybelle shrugged. "I don't know. Try again."  
  
Again, Max tried to step through, but with the same results. "I can't go back," she realized.  
  
"Given what I just saw of that place, I can't see why you would want to," the priestess presumed. "It seems horrible."  
  
"It is," Max replied. "But I have people I love back there. It'll be tough to leave them behind."  
  
Cybelle sighed deeply. Both she and Dave had been down this road themselves in the past. "Let's head back to Tucson."  
  
"But I can't!" Max protested.  
  
"Why not? It seems you don't have anywhere else to go right now," Cybelle told her.   
  
For a minute, Max wanted to protest further, but lost the desire to do so. "Okay."  
  
"Follow me," Cybelle directed, heading back in the direction where they had come from. In a minute, they were back on the patio.  
  
"What happened?" Dave asked, coming out.  
  
Max shook her head sadly. "I can't go back. I'm stuck here."  
  
Cybelle added, "She couldn't step through the portal for some reason. I've never seen anything like it before."  
  
Angie looked at her husband. Despite the trouble which she had caused them, they couldn't just leave Max out on the street. "What do you think?"  
  
"As long as she's okay with it, she can stay here as far as I'm concerned," he agreed. Turning to their new friend, he inquired, "Max?"  
  
"Yeah, that sounds great," she concurred. "Thanks. The highway underpass was getting old."  
  
"No problem. That's what friends are for," he assured her. Seeing the glum look and sensing her depression, he asked, "Who is it?"  
  
"Oh nothing," Max noted. "I have a couple of friends I'm gonna miss is all."  
  
"There's a guy there, right?" Angie probed.  
  
"Yeah. His name's Logan Cale, and he's fighting to make our world a better place, wiping out all of the corruption and crap. Then, there's Original Cindy. She's...my best friend," Max recounted moodily.  
  
Dave glanced at his sister expectantly.  
  
Cybelle shrugged. Maybe she could pull this one off after all. "I'll see what I can do," she agreed, disappearing into the mists.  
  
For several minutes, the newcomer stared at the spot where the priestess had vanished. "That is so weird."  
  
"It is unique," Dave commented. "Now, let's get you to bed. Tomorrow, I have some friends you should meet."  
  
"Friends?" Max wondered. "Who?"  
  
"Relax, I know someone who might be able to help you with that supplement issue of yours," he assured her.  
  
"They're really good friends," Angie assured her. "You can trust them."  
  
Max shrugged. It had been a really long night. "Okay, but I really would like to thank Xena for her help and for not being too mad at me."  
  
"She's fine with it," the oncologist reassured her guest. "Just try to get some rest."  
  
"Great," the visitor accepted, walking into Deirdre's old room. Removing her boots and jacket, she climbed into the bed and sank into its comfort. "This is great," she smiled, falling into a deep sleep and trying to dream of the friends which she had left behind.  
  
  
Chapter 6   
  
[Heaven]  
  
  
Michael shook his head in frustration once again. He had hoped by causing Max to be sent back to Tucson, a conflict between her and the Duboises would break out, jeopardizing their life there.  
  
"Unbelievable," he muttered.  
  
"I disagree," Raphael stated from beside him. "David has always shown a certain degree of negotiation skills. Sir Nicolas was also helpful."  
  
"Obviously," the blonde archangel sighed. Seeing Fleur approach, he asked, "How is everything going with Lucius?"  
  
"He's in Toronto and will meet with the other vampire leaders shortly," she reported.  
  
"Excellent," he replied. At least something was going his way.  
  
****  
  
[Seattle 2020]  
  
Logan Cale signed off of yet another Streaming Freedom video bulletin. The activist had just succeeded in tying Lester McMannus, a powerful businessman, to a series of embezzlement schemes. According to his contacts within the Seattle PD, he would be in jail for a while to come. Putting his glasses back on, he reached for his cell phone and dialed the number for Max's pager. However, as with the other attempts, there was no response from the tiny piece of equipment.  
  
He was really concerned now. It wasn't like Max to be out of touch like this. Picking up the phone, he called Jam Pony.  
  
"Hello?" Normal answered impatiently.  
  
"Hi. I was wondering if Max has shown up today," Logan asked.  
  
The dispatcher snorted derisively. "She hasn't been here for a week, Pal. Hey, if you see her, tell her she's fired. Okay? I don't need deadbeats like her."  
  
At hearing those words, the activist fought back the urge to tell Normal what he thought of him. Then, collecting his cool, he asked, "Can I speak to Cindy?"  
  
"Yeah, she's here. Hang on."   
  
Barely ten seconds later, Original Cindy asked, "Logan, is that you?"  
  
"Yeah, it's me. Listen, have you seen Max?" he asked. "It's not like her to disappear like this."  
  
"Tell me about it," she agreed. "No, Max hasn't even been home for the past few nights. Original Cindy was about to go out and investigate personally if she didn't come home tonight."  
  
"I'll be there with you," he declared. Then, he noticed the mists collecting in the corner. "What the? Can you hang on for a minute?" Placing Original Cindy on hold, he turned to see a strange woman somehow standing in the corner. "Who are you?" he inquired. "And how did you get past my security?"  
  
"My name is Cybelle and well...you can say bypassing security is a specialty of mine," Cybelle replied. "I'm here to let you know where Max is."  
  
"You know where she is?" he asked, the concern on his face.  
  
"I can take you to her," she informed him. "First, I need to find another friend of hers...Original Cindy or something like that."  
  
"Hang on," he agreed. Getting back on the line, he asked, "Are you still there?"  
  
"Yeah, but what's the deal there with leaving Original Cindy on hold like that?" the messenger wondered.  
  
Eyeing his visitor carefully, he told Original Cindy, "Can you meet me here? Somebody just showed up who knows where Max is, but she wants to see you in person first. Right?" Seeing Cybelle nod, he continued, "Can you get over here?"  
  
"If she knows where Max is, Original Cindy will be right there!" the messenger concluded, hanging up and going for her bike. Without another word to Normal or her colleagues, she pedaled her way across town as quickly as possible.  
  
About twenty minutes later, she walked off of the elevator into Logan's penthouse. This setup had always left her speechless although she never would have admitted it to him. If she needed to go after guys, at least Max had good taste.  
  
"Thanks for coming so quickly," he told her, walking into the room followed by Cybelle.   
  
"What's going on?" the newcomer demanded.  
  
"Relax," the priestess told them both. "Max is fine. There was an accident of some sort and she was sent back in time. She's safe and sound."  
  
"So, when can she come back?" Original Cindy wondered.  
  
Cybelle sighed and shook her head. "She can't. When she tried last night, she was blocked from doing so. For better or for worse, she's stuck back in 1999. She's asked for you both."  
  
"And you can bring us to her?" Logan reiterated his earlier query.  
  
"Anytime you'd like," she agreed, opening the misty portal again. "Follow me."  
  
Logan glanced curiously at the priestess and then, at Original Cindy. This all seemed too weird, but where Max was concerned, they both felt as if they would go through anything for her. Without any more hesitation, they followed their guide into the mists, disappearing from view.  
  
****  
  
[Mutant X Sanctuary]  
  
Max looked around blindly. For the past few hours, she had grudgingly allowed herself to be blindfolded and led around. "Hey! If someone doesn't straighten up my eyes really fast, I'm going to kick some ass!"  
  
"Easy," an unfamiliar female voice advised. "Hold still."   
  
The guest felt something being torn off of her skin. Then, as her eyesight returned, she saw a woman with long blonde hair standing in front of her. "Who are you? Where am I?" Jumping up, she saw Dave and Xena standing beside her. "What have you done with me?"  
  
"We've brought you to see our friends, Max," he explained. "This is Sanctuary. The woman in front of you is Shalimar Fox. She's different like you and kind of like me."  
  
Max stared at Shalimar. "This is stinking Manticore! Somehow, you're an X6 sent to kill me!"  
  
"X6? Manticore?" the feral wondered, staring at her friends. "What's up with her?"  
  
Off to the side, Emma focused on Max's mind, peering into it. Within it, she saw images of the genetic experiments done on her and the other enhanced children of Manticore. "She's like us!"   
  
"What do you mean?" Max and Shalimar chorused.  
  
"She's genetically engineered just as we were," the telepath pointed out. "Manticore is another version of Genomex from what I could tell."  
  
"Genomex? You mean you're not X6's and this ain't Manticore?" Max wondered.  
  
"No," Adam replied, walking into the lab. "This isn't Manticore and you are quite safe here. Max, right?"  
  
"Yeah. Who are you?" she asked cautiously.  
  
The geneticist smiled and extended his hand. "My name's Adam. You've already met Shalimar. The lady with the darker hair is Emma. We're part of Mutant X and we fight against the types of people who made them and you."  
  
"So, they're here too?" she asked him.  
  
"Not exactly. There's another group called the Genetic Security Agency that likes to think that they enforce genetic purity. They're part of a secret research facility called Genomex where experiments are performed to create mutated people. The so-called new mutant children of that place. I was the head geneticist there once, but when I saw what the administrator wanted to do, I left and helped several mutants to escape," Adam explained.  
  
"Without him, we'd be guinea pigs in Eckhart's clutches," Emma added.  
  
"This Eckhart. He's the administrator, right?" Max wondered.  
  
"That's right," Adam replied.  
  
"He's another damn Renfro," she hissed. Turning to Dave and Xena, she asked, "Have you met this Eckhart creep?"  
  
"Yeah, I've been to his place and met the creep personally," the warrior replied tersely. "Between myself and Angela, it wasn't a good time, I'll tell ya."  
  
"He's hurt all of us at one time or another," Dave noted. "That's why we're working together. And why you're needed here. To help us to defend others like yourself against Eckhart and his goons."  
  
"I couldn't have said it better myself," Adam agreed. "Well, Max, Dave says you need help with a deficiency of some sort. Would you climb into the chair so we can take a scan of you?" Seeing her face tense, he asked, "What's wrong?"  
  
"You're gonna try something, aren't you?" Max growled.  
  
"Hey, down, Girl!" Shalimar assured her. "He's not going to harm you."  
  
"It's perfectly safe, Max," Emma insisted.  
  
"You've been in that chair, Dave?" Max insisted.  
  
"Yeah, I have," he replied. "It fixed me up somewhat. Just give it a shot, okay? I wouldn't have brought you here to hurt you."  
  
After taking a minute to think about it, she nodded. "Okay." Getting in the chair, she requested, "No restraints."  
  
"Fine," Adam agreed, wondering why she was so skittish. "Emma, start the sequence on your end."  
  
"Right," she agreed, pressing buttons on the console and making the overhead projector move into position.  
  
Dave moved beside her. "I'm right here, Max."  
  
"So am I," Xena indicated, standing on the other side of her.  
  
"Okay, here goes," the leader told them as he activated the scanner.  
  
As the light brushed over her repeatedly, Max felt nervous. This was so like what Lydekker and Renfro did to her at Manticore. Even though they said they weren't from that hellhole, how could she be sure?  
  
After four sweeps of the light, a diagnostic image of her appeared as an image in midair.   
  
"It seems that she has an acute chemical imbalance. That's why she needs the supplements," Adam indicated. "Sit still for a minute, Max." Starting up the projector again, he let the machine make two more sweeps before he shut it down. "How's that?"  
  
"How's what?" she asked. "When are you gonna do something?"  
  
"We just did. Your deficiency's been corrected," he noted, pointing at the reset image. Then, looking at her image again, he noticed something. "According to the computer, you seem to have some sort of virus as well. Did you know that?"  
  
"What kind of virus?" Emma wondered.  
  
"It's a genetic virus," Max explained. "Manticore implanted me with it so that I couldn't get close to...Logan...my...well, it's complicated."  
  
The leader nodded. "Relax. From the chart, it's an amazing piece of genetic engineering all right. Whoever did this was a genius, but I think we can deal with it. Sit back." Recalibrating the system for several minutes, he analyzed the data from her scan before announcing, "I've got it. Here goes."  
  
Max looked at him. "If you screw it up..."  
  
"Chill out," Dave told her.  
  
Hearing this, she nodded at Adam, finding a reason to trust him.  
  
He took a deep breath and pressed a button, starting the machine's beam. Four sweeps of the light beam later, the computer shut down.  
  
"Lots of pretty light, but I still don't feel anything different," Max told them.  
  
As the new diagnostic appeared, Adam reexamined everything. "Well, you're cured," he explained. "I was able to isolate the virus. Once that happened, it was easy to break it down and get rid of it."  
  
"Looks like you and your friend can be back together," Emma declared after looking at the readout.  
  
"They're not serious. Just like that?" Max asked Dave incredulously.  
  
"Just like that," he told her. Then, he furrowed his brow for a second before allowing a smile to come to his face. "And we may have a chance to test the theory. Cybelle's waiting for us back in Tucson."  
  
"How do you know that?" Max pushed.  
  
"Telepathy," Adam supposed. "Tell her it's okay to come here. How many are we expecting?"  
  
He focused again. "Three."  
  
"I'm on it," Emma stated, picking up two blinder patches. "Dave?"  
  
He started to mutter a chant under his breath and waved his hand. To everyone's surprise except for Xena, the mists appeared. "What?" he inquired at their confusion. "I was taught some of the lore as well. Go ahead, Emma...I can't hold it open for very long."  
  
"Right," the telepath agreed, leaping into the portal. A moment later, she and Cybelle stepped through, leading Logan and Original Cindy after them.  
  
As soon as they were in view, Dave allowed the mists to dissipate, slumping in his chair under the effort. "Whew!"  
  
Taking the patches off of the two visitors from the future, Emma greeted, "Welcome to Sanctuary. Look over to the chair."  
  
"Logan! Original Cindy!" Max cheered, rushing over to greet them in a rare display of emotion.  
  
"Hey, Boo!" Original Cindy replied just as enthusiastically, kissing her friend's cheek. "Are you okay?"  
  
"I'm great," Max assured her. "Tired, but great. Hey, Logan, what's up?"  
  
"Nothing much. I'm really glad to see you're okay," he told her, hugging her. For a minute, he stared into her eyes, wanting to kiss her, but not daring to do so.  
  
"Logan?" she asked.  
  
"Yeah?" he replied.  
  
"Hold still," she told him and kissed him passionately for a minute.  
  
"What did you...? You know we can't..." he protested after she had let him go.  
  
"I'm cured," she told him.  
  
"How?" he wondered.  
  
"The virus that was inside of Max has been taken care of," Adam pointed out. "Hello, I'm Adam."  
  
"Logan Cale," Logan replied, shaking his hand. "You're a geneticist, aren't you? I've seen your work in the data files as well as the references to your group...Mutant X, right? Don't worry, that was in the future. Even in my time, only a few of us know of the team's existence."  
  
"Thanks," Adam expressed. "With Eckhart's efforts to deal with new mutants, we need all of the help we can get."  
  
"Indeed," Logan stated. "Could you stand a little positive publicity when the time's right?"  
  
"What kind of publicity? We want to keep our existence a secret," Shalimar informed him.  
  
"I wasn't referring to new mutants, but rather, some pieces on basic rights," the cyber activist stated.  
  
"Kind of like your speech, David," Xena surmised.  
  
"Exactly," the professor agreed. "I think it's a good idea."  
  
Adam concurred, "Yes, but at the right time and place. Logan, I think we can help each other."  
  
"It's the least I can do for your helping Max out," he declared, rubbing his friend's shoulder as Original Cindy did the same for the other arm.  
  
"That's what friends are for," Dave affirmed.  
  
"Right," Max agreed. "Meantime, can you stop getting all mushy on me? A girl's gotta keep her image, you know." As she said that, a smile spread across her face, letting the others know that she was kidding them.  
  
A warm feeling blanketed the area as the newcomers were officially welcomed into their new time.  
  
  
  
  
  
Conclusion   
  
A week after Max's reunion with her friends, all remained quiet within the Old Pueblo. With Cybelle's and Dave's help, Logan shifted his base of operations from Seattle to Tucson. Max and Original Cindy had found jobs and were sharing an apartment on the West Side. The vampire Community accepted Nick so far as its new leader. Dave and Angie continued to work on their projects in preparation for the upcoming Fall semester. Everything was falling into place.  
  
****  
  
After searching for hours for a place to sit and meditate, Max decided on the top of the Congress Hotel. Even though she couldn't do so on the top of the Space Needle any longer, she still need to be high up in order to clear her head and think on things. So much had happened over the past two weeks. Even with her new job...delivering pizzas of all things...she was still adjusting to pre-Pulse society.  
  
"I hope they understand how lucky they have it," she said to the sky in reference to the people far below.  
  
"I'm sure they do," Nick replied, alighting beside her. "Mind if I join you?"  
  
She shrugged. If the head vampire honcho wanted to join her, there wasn't much she could do about it. Not that she would have said anything in any event given how much he had helped her. "Go ahead. It's a free country."  
  
"A lot freer than the place you came from, I imagine?" he wondered.  
  
"Lots. At least the police here have ethics," she replied, managing a tiny smile in spite of herself.  
  
"We try," he stated. "There are pockets of corruption, but we're a good bunch nonetheless. Thanks for the complement by the way."  
  
"Yeah," she said. "I was wondering...you've seen societies rise and fall, huh? Logan was wondering about that."  
  
"A few," he indicated. "In eight centuries, there's been quite a bit of change."  
  
"Eight centuries?" she asked.  
  
"Right. I was a thirteenth century Crusader before I became what I am today," he revealed. "Immortality gives one a unique perspective on things."  
  
"I'll bet," she supposed, giving him a careful glance over. Despite her experiences with her fellow siblings from Manticore along with the mutants in Seattle, living in this town was going to take some getting used to. At least, she had friends to help her.  
  
He stood up, preparing to depart. "I'll leave you to your thoughts."  
  
"Thanks," she expressed. "For everything."  
  
"You're quite welcome," he concluded warmly before disappearing into the evening sky.  
  
For quite a while, she sat on that hard perch, her eyes still scanning the city's skyline far below. While she was sure that this world had its own hidden dangers, her time there was already proving to be fruitful and the future seemed bright.  
  
THE END (for now)  
  
(Well, I hope you enjoyed this adventure! Next, the storyline goes to Smallville where Dave and Angie run into problems both familiar and newly discovered! Don't miss "Under Siege". Don't forget about my "DuboisChroniclesUpdates" where you can get the newest stories as soon as they're ready for release! Thanks again for your interest!) 


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